Testimony

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and only employee of Sehfeld Film, and we’re a production company based in Zurich, Switzerland. Whenever I have projects for features of documentaries, I build a team and look for money, because we’re not a production company that works in the commercial sector. The way I work is independent and free.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with OTAKUS?

I needed someone to help me with video production.

Solution

What was the scope of their involvement?

Xaver (CEO) was the director of the corporate movie for a client, meaning he was responsible for the concepts and ideas, as well as directing and cutting — he was the brains behind the entire operations. We worked on two films that were about 90 seconds long, for a company in Swiss tourism. We had to go to famous touristic locations in Switzerland, which was quite demanding.

He had an assistant who helped him edit the films, because they had to go through a lot of material. In addition, we also went to a studio to produce the soundtrack.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact is Xaver.

How did you come to work with OTAKUS?

Xaver presented himself when we got together for lunch one day. We got to know each other and then decided to try him out after two months. I started working with him when I was employed in another company, where he directed all the projects I was responsible for. He was very passionate and we, along with the other people that worked on that project, were a great team.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about 150,000 CHF (approximately $165,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2019, and our partnership is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We have debriefings with the client after every project. The client was very happy with the final outcome. We didn’t measure the success in numbers, but we did with the happiness and gratefulness of the client. They did a lot of film productions with different film companies in the past, but none of them delivered the level of service we did.

How did OTAKUS perform from a project management standpoint?

Back then, we weren’t really a big team, and our companies' distance was pretty short. This was before the COVID-19 pandemic so our communications were practically very private. We met up with each other, we communicated, and we never had any problems. We also had a cutting room and an editing suite where we could invite clients and the people involved, to see the first cut of the film and get their approval.

These kinds of things were handled by Xaver. He would come to our studios with the first cut to show the clients. The connection was direct and it was a very easy process for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

OTAKUS made the process easy and enjoyable. The team was very skilled and professional — they were able to match our creative ambition. Overall, it was a very successful project, and we’d love to work with them again.

The OTAKUS team has that passion for filmmaking and for always doing better. They are never happy, and I mean that in a positive way. They look at what they do and think about how they can do better and improve on it. This continuous drive is really good to work with because if you have people that are never satisfied, it keeps the motivation very high.

In addition, I’ve gotten to know them better in the past two years, so we became friends. We are two people who work perfectly together, so our work and cooperation are very good. I’m almost 60 years old now, and I've met a lot of people. However, my partnership with OTAKUS is rare and special.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re quite young and they’re still growing. They have a lot of innovative ideas for the future, which is a good thing since people move very slowly here in Switzerland. I can’t find something they can improve on at the moment.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

OTAKUS is filled with creative talents that are working within the company. If you have an idea for a film, they will sit with you, expand on your idea, and even write you a contract. If you have an overseas event that needs organizing and a production for a trailer, OTAKUS will give you their full range of services. You can expect more than what you will get with them.